Baby Names US
Unisex name ★ peaked 2001

Wei

Meaning Wei is a Chinese given name Gender Unisex · 21% girls Rank 2025 #10,614

Wei is a Chinese given name.

Rank 2025
#10,614
among boys
Babies in 2025
7
named Wei
How common
1 in 244,011
boys born in 2025
Peak year
2001
20 babies
All-time total
369
#10,637 all-time among boys
First recorded
1970
in Social Security records

Wei popularity over time

369 babies have been named Wei since 1970, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
00.010.010.0118801900192019401960198020002020BoysGirls
BoysGirls

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Girls Boys Total Per year Change Best rank
1880s – – – – – –
1890s – – – – – –
1900s – – – – – –
1910s – – – – – –
1920s – – – – – –
1930s – – – – – –
1940s – – – – – –
1950s – – – – – –
1960s – – – – – –
1970s – 31 31 3 – #4,711
1980s 36 68 104 10 +235% #3,913
1990s 33 108 141 14 +36% #4,010
2000s 10 68 78 8 -45% #5,134
2010s – 8 8 1 -90% #9,641
2020s (to 2025) – 7 7 1 +46% #10,614

The story of Wei

Wei is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #10,614 in 2025 with 7 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.

Since 1970, 369 American babies have been named Wei, about 79% boys and 21% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 2001, when 20 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 2000s.

The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Wei stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Wei?

The median living Wei is about 31 years old; half are between 25 and 39. An estimated 400 people named Wei are alive in the United States today.

median 31 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Wei year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year Girls Girls rank Boys Boys rank
2025 – – 7 #10,614
2024 – – – –
2023 – – – –
2022 – – – –
2021 – – – –
2020 – – – –
2019 – – – –
2018 – – – –
2017 – – 8 #9,641
2016 – – – –
2015 – – – –
2014 – – – –
2013 – – – –
2012 – – – –
2011 – – – –
2010 – – – –
2009 – – – –
2008 – – – –
2007 5 #20,424 6 #12,291
2006 – – – –
2005 – – – –
2004 – – 14 #5,795
2003 – – 14 #5,542
2002 – – 9 #7,615
2001 5 #17,876 15 #5,134
2000 – – 10 #6,813
1995 6 #13,342 11 #5,489
1990 – – 5 #9,449
1985 8 #8,300 5 #7,551
1980 – – 7 #5,508
1975 – – – –
1970 – – 6 #4,711
1965 – – – –
1960 – – – –
1955 – – – –
1950 – – – –
1945 – – – –
1940 – – – –
1935 – – – –
1930 – – – –
1925 – – – –
1920 – – – –
1915 – – – –
1910 – – – –
1905 – – – –
1900 – – – –
1895 – – – –
1890 – – – –
1885 – – – –
1880 – – – –

Famous people named Wei

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

  1. 1 Wei Yi Wei Yi Chinese chess grandmaster (born 1999) Contemporary
  2. 2 Wei Zhongxian Chinese eunuch (1568–1627) 16th century
  3. 3 Wei Yan Wei Yan State of Shu Han general (died 234) 200–234 · Antiquity
  4. 4 Wei Jingsheng Wei Jingsheng Chinese human rights activist (born 1950) Contemporary
  5. 5 Wei Zifu Empress of China from 128 to 91 BC -150–-91 · Antiquity
  6. 6 Wei Qing Han dynasty general -150–-106 · Antiquity
  7. 7 Wei Zheng Wei Zheng Tang Dynasty chancellor (580–643) Medieval
  8. 8 Wei Wei Wei Wei Chinese female singer b. 1963 · Contemporary
  9. 9 Wei Hui Wei Hui Chinese writer b. 1973 · Contemporary
  10. 10 Wei Qiuyue Wei Qiuyue Chinese volleyball player (born 1988) Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Wei, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Wei?

The median living Wei is about 31 years old. Half of all living Weis are between 25 and 39 years old.

How many people named Wei are alive today?

An estimated 400 people named Wei are alive in the United States, based on 369 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Wei mean?

Wei is a Chinese given name.

How popular is the name Wei in 2025?

Wei ranked #10,614 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 7 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Wei?

369 babies have been named Wei in the United States since 1970, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Wei most popular?

Wei peaked in 2001, when 20 newborns received the name.

Is Wei a boy or girl name?

Wei is used for both: about 21% of babies named Wei have been girls and 79% boys.

Is the name Wei rising or falling?

Wei is on the rise, noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.

Who are famous people named Wei?

Well-known people named Wei include Wei Yi (chess player), Wei Zhongxian (politician), Wei Yan (politician).

Names like Wei

Names that sound and feel close to Wei: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Wei with similar names → More names starting with W →